PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Roxana cast as favorite in SCC

Work remains for SCC favorite Roxana

Roxana’s Blake Vandiver (5) goes in the layup after beating Pinckneyville’s Clayton Hougland to the basket in a Class 2A sectional semifinal March 4 at Memorial Gym in Wood River.

Scott Kane / For The Telegraph

Roxana’s Trace Gentry is back for his senior season after leading the Shells in scoring at 15.8 points per game as a junior. Gentry was a first team All-SCC selection last year.

Scott Kane / For The Telegraph

Roxana High graduate Mark Briggs begins his 15th season as Roxana Shells coach with a 202-216 record and two Class 2A regional titles in the last three years.

Scott Kane / For The Telegraph

ROXANA – The Roxana Shells are the quick pick as favorite to win the South Central Conference boys basketball championship in 2016.

Shells coach Mark Briggs is delaying his endorsement.

“We’re not there yet,” Briggs said after the Shells’ 63-54 loss to Southwestern in the Metro East Lutheran Tournament on Wednesday in Edwardsville. “We have some things we’ve got to fix.”

Southwestern coach Jason Darr, even after watching his Piasa Birds outplay the Shells, remains a buyer of Roxana stock.

“I still think they’re the team to beat in the SCC,” Darr said. “That’s a good basketball team.”

Roxana went 16-16 last season, knocking off top-seeded Southwestern to win a Class 2A regional title for the second time in three years. From that squad, the Shells return one of the SCC best players in 6-foot-2 senior Trace Gentry, who averaged 15.8 points per game while earning first team All-SCC honors as a junior.

“I have to do a better job getting him better shots,” Briggs said of Gentry, who has 27 points in the Shells’ 1-1 start. “He goes into every game with a huge target on his back. He’s the man for us and teams are going to do what they can to shut him down.”

The Shells do have other scoring options with 5-11 junior Zach Golenor, 5-8 senior Blake Vandiver and 5-9 senior Chance Foss back in prominent roles.

Golenor, who matches Gentry at 13.5 points per game after two games, scored 9.9 ppg as a sophomore. Foss scored 7.9 ppg and Vandiver checked in at 4.0 ppg last season.

And it’s that group of four experienced Shells, Briggs believes, that earns Roxana preseason respect in the conference. Greenville is the two-time defendince SCC champion with the Shells last winning the league in 2013.

“We’re only the team to beat because we return so many guys from last year,” said Briggs, who is in his 15th season as Shells coach. “We do feel like we’re in a good position. We like what we have. These are great kids, they work hard.”

The Shells took a hit when sophomore Jordan Hawkins opted not to play basketball after emerging as a promising talent as a freshman. Roxana does have a capable post presence in 6-5 junior Cody McMillen, who has scored nine and 11 points in the first two games.

The Shells will battle questions regarding their depth, with senior Chris Pulley (6-1) coming off the bench to cap a rotation that currently projects only six strong.

“We hope we can play six or seven guys,” Briggs said. “It’s tough. But we’ve got to fight through it. A lot of teams are in the same boat. … This group of kids, once they set their egos aside and start concentrating on what’s important for the team, I think this is going to be a fun group to watch.”

Greg Shashack may be reached at 618-798-1486 or on Twitter @gregshashack

Roxana’s Blake Vandiver (5) goes in the layup after beating Pinckneyville’s Clayton Hougland to the basket in a Class 2A sectional semifinal March 4 at Memorial Gym in Wood River.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_1127Roxana1.jpgRoxana’s Blake Vandiver (5) goes in the layup after beating Pinckneyville’s Clayton Hougland to the basket in a Class 2A sectional semifinal March 4 at Memorial Gym in Wood River. Scott Kane / For The Telegraph

Roxana’s Trace Gentry is back for his senior season after leading the Shells in scoring at 15.8 points per game as a junior. Gentry was a first team All-SCC selection last year.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_1127RoxanaGentry.jpgRoxana’s Trace Gentry is back for his senior season after leading the Shells in scoring at 15.8 points per game as a junior. Gentry was a first team All-SCC selection last year. Scott Kane / For The Telegraph

Roxana High graduate Mark Briggs begins his 15th season as Roxana Shells coach with a 202-216 record and two Class 2A regional titles in the last three years.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_1127RoxBriggs.jpgRoxana High graduate Mark Briggs begins his 15th season as Roxana Shells coach with a 202-216 record and two Class 2A regional titles in the last three years. Scott Kane / For The Telegraph

Greg Shashack may be reached at 618-798-1486 or on Twitter @gregshashack